Mowing-machine



2 Sheets-Sheet 1.

(No Model.)

R. DUTTON.

MOWING MACHINE.

Patented Oct. 31, 1882..

INVENTCIR (No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 24 R. DUTTON;

MOWING MACHINE. No. 266,791. Patented Oct. 31*, 1882.

UNiTnn STATES PATENT @rrrcn.

RUFUS BUTTON, OF YONKERS, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR TO WHITELEY, FASSLER &KELLY, OF SPRINGFIELD, OHIO.

MOWING-MACHINE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 266,79], dated October31, 1852,

Application filed August 26, 1880.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, RUFUS DUTlON, of Yonkers, in the county ofWestchester and State of New York, have invented a new and usefulImprovement in Mowing-Machines; and I do hereby declare that thefollowing is a full, clear, and exact description thereof and of themode or manner of operation, reference being had to the accompanyingdrawings, and to the letters of reference marked thereon, making a partof this specification.

My invention relates to an improved method of lifting and tilting thecutting mechanism of mowing-machines.

My invention consists in so combining the lifting and tilting devicesthat the finger-bar, when raised to a vertical position fortransportation, will automatically assume nearly the same positionrelative to the driving-wheel, in whatever position the tiltingmechanism may be when such lift is made; and it further con sists in alaterally-flexible and vertically-adjustable suspension-rod for theouter end of the vibrating arm.

I will now proceed to describe myinvention.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure l is an elevation of amowing-machine with the cutting mechanism in position for use in thefield. Fig. 2 is an elevation with the fingerbar raised to a verticalposition for transportation. Fig. 3 is a plan showing the differentialgearin section, and in plan the connection of the same with thevibrating arm. Fig. 4 is a front elevation, showing the manner ofadjusting the register of the cutters.

Similar letters of reference indicate like parts.

Only so much of the machine as relates to my invention is illustrated inthe drawings.

A is the frame of the machine; B, the driving or carrying wheels.

0 is the pole, and D the seat for the driver.

M is a lifting-lever, pivoted at g upon the stand G, which is mountedupon the frame A.

H is a link, which connects the lifting-lever M with the shoe J. Thislever M may be provided with any suitable device for retaining it in anydesired position.

N is a tilting lever, pivoted at it upon the lifting-leverllLandprovided with a catch,piv-

(No model.)

oted at j, which engages with the notches i i on lever M.

To the lever N is pivoted the bar or rod 0, which works in a suitableguide on the lower end of lever M, near the point at which it is pivotedto the stand G. The lower end, 1:, of rod 0 is connected by the link Pto the hinge K at the point Z, and through such hinge to the shoe J. Theshoe J is hinged to the frame by two hinges, upon one of which, K, itturns when the finger bar is lifted, while upon the other, L, it turnswhen the fingers are tilted.

E is a foot-lever, pivoted to the under side of the pole at a andconnected to the frameA bythe link F.

To the upper end, I), of the foot-lever E is pivoted the latch c, whichis kept in position to engage with the catch f on the pole by the spring(I.

The latch c is provided with a horn or extension, e, which projectsabove the end of footlever E.

The draft-rod It is connected to the liftinglever M below the point 9,at which it is pivoted to the stand G.

S is the vibrating arm,conneetcd at one end to the frame by a suitablejoint, which permits said arm to vibrate in a horizontal plane andreceive motion from the main wheel B bymeans ot' a suitable connectingmechanism, whereby the rotary motion of said wheel B is transmitted intoa vibrating motion of said arm S.

In Fig. 3 I have shown a differential oscillating gear, W, to transmitmotion from the driving-wheel B to the vibrating arm S. This device iswell known, and is only introduced herein to show a practicable mode oftransmitting said motion.

At the outer end of the vibrating arm S the pitman Y is connected by asuitabiejoint-in the drawings shown as a ball-and-socket joint, with theball T as one of its members.

In order to support the outer end oi the vibrating arm, apendulum rod orlink, U, is employed, the upper end of said rod being supported by apost, V, which is mounted upon the frame A. At its lower end the rod Uis connected with the vibrating arm by a joint which will permit thenecessary relative motion, and said rod is made longitudinallyadjustable, so that the vibrating arm may be I is in avertical positionany movement of lever 50 raised or lowered and the cutters be therebyregistered or adjusted with reference to the guard-fingers. Thislongitudinal adjustment of the rod is conveniently effected by a nut, w,at its lower end, as shown, although I do not propose to confine myselfto that method. The method of adjusting the register of the cutters isshown in Fig. 4.

The operation of my invention is as follows: Whenit is desired to raisethe inner end of the finger-bar the lever E is depressed by the foot ofthe driver until the latch c engages with Y the catch f on.the pole,which holds it in that position until released by pressing on the hornor extension eof the latch c, which action compresses the spring d andreleases the latch c from the catch fand allowsthelever E to resume itsformer position. The lever E being connected to the frame A by the link1 when E is depressed the frameAis raised and brings with it the shoe J,with its attached finger-bar.

When it is desired to tilt the fingers down the lever N is raised fromthe position shown in Fig. l to that shown in Fig. 2, thus raising therod 0 and lifting the rear end of hinge K, which, turning on hinge L,tilts the shoeJ up behind and depresses the points of the fingers. Acontrary motion of lever N would cause the points of the fingers to beraised.

When it is desired to raise the outer end of the finger-bar the lever Mis drawn backward and down ward,which motion may be continued until thefinger-bar is in a vertical or nearly, vertical position, the finger-barbeing raised by reason of the link H operating to turn the shoe J, withits attached finger-bar, around the hinge K'as a center, the link'Hconnecting with the shoe J outside of the hinge K.

The rod 0, being attached to the lever M, partakes of its motion, andthus brings the lower end, It, into such a position with reference tothe point 1 that little or vno motion would be imparted to the point lbyoperating the lever M, while lever N remains in its extreme position,as shown by the dotted line P, Fig.2, which would be the position oflink P if leverN were engaged in the lowest of the notches i i. It isobvious that when lever M N would be directly communicated to The pathof the lower end, In, of the rod 0,

when lever M is in the position shown in Fig.

2, must be at right angles to a line drawn from Z to the center g, uponwhich lever M turns, and when its extreme positions will be at equaldistances on either side of such line.

It is obvious that since the point Z assumes automatically nearly thesame position 'with reference to the center g when the finger-bar islifted without reference to the position of lever N the distance from mto n will be always the same, or nearly so, and in consequence thefinger-bar will always be raised to the same position.

What is claimed is- 1. The combination, in a mowing-machine, of a devicefor lifting the outer end of the tinger-bar, and connected to and movingtherewith a device capable of independently tilting the points of thefingers, whereby when the finger-bar is raised to a vertical position itwill assume substantially the same position relative to the rim of theWheel, whatever may be the position of the tilting device.

2. The tilting-lever N, pivoted upon the lifting-lever M, in combinationwith the rod 0, link P, and shoe J, all arranged to operate as and forthe purpose specified.

3. In combination with a differential oscillating gear and itsrigidly-attached vibrating arm, a laterally-flexible andlongitudinally-adjustable supporting-rod, which permits vibration ofsaid arm while preventing rotation of said oscillatinggear, and enablesregistration of the sickle mechanism.

4. A reciprocating cutter-bar and a vibrating arm and connecting-pitman,whereby said cutter-bar is actuated, combined with a later-'ally-movable and longitudinallyadjustable supportfor the outer end ofsaid vibrating arm, whereby the position of said vibrating arm as to thesupporting-frame and plane of the cutters may be adjusted.

RUFUS DUTTON.

Witnesses:

' SAMUEL LEA,

J. KING 1VIERR1LL.

